Michael Reed

Michael Reed writes about grief, psychological adaptation, and life after catastrophic loss. His work is shaped by the death of his wife and two daughters in the 2016 Gatlinburg wildfires—an experience that permanently altered his life and informs his writing with both lived understanding and analytical clarity.

He is the author of The Million Stages of Grief, which examines what follows devastating loss—not as a series of stages to complete, but as an ongoing psychological and emotional process that reshapes identity, relationships, and meaning. The book challenges simplified models of grief and offers grounded guidance for those learning how to live after trauma.

Michael’s forthcoming book, The Million Stages of Healing, continues this work by focusing on integration—how people adapt, function, and re-engage with life while continuing to carry loss, rather than seeking resolution or closure.

In addition to his work for adults, Michael is the author of the children’s book The Owl and the Ladybug, which introduces young readers to sadness, loss, and emotional connection through gentle narrative and metaphor, supporting age-appropriate conversations about difficult emotions.

Michael is also a speaker and certified grief coach and is pursuing a degree in Behavioral Science. His work integrates lived experience with ongoing academic study and is grounded in the belief that grief is not something to move past, but something to understand and integrate over time. He writes for those navigating loss, as well as for caregivers and professionals seeking a more honest and nuanced understanding of grief.